Serpent Society

The Serpent Society is a fictional organization of snake-themed supervillains in the Marvel Comics universe. The group was initially formed from the membership of a previous supervillain team, the Serpent Squad. The group, like its predecessor, has been made up of longtime antagonists of Captain America and other members of The Avengers.

The membership of the Serpent Society has included:

• Anaconda (Blanche Sitnizki), who has superhumanly strong tentacle-like arms that she uses to constrict her foes. She apparently died in a tournament held by Mister X, but later reappeared.

• Asp (Cleo Nefertiti), who can fire electrical blasts that can stun or paralyze living beings. When Diamondback left the Society, Asp and Black Mamba followed.

• Black Mamba (Tanya Sealy), who can generate images of one's desires from the mysterious Darkforce. When Diamondback left the Society, Asp and Black Mamba followed. Black Mamba later joined the Crimson Cowl's Masters of Evil

Bushmaster is a quadriplegic due to a boating accident. He was trying to evade the police underwater and that's when the tragic event occurred. Shortly later, Roxxon Oil Company equipped him with bionic arms and a snake tail. He took the name "Bushmaster" from his fallen brother, another criminal. Years later, Sidewinder enlisted Bushmaster to join the criminal trade union known as the Serpent Society. Bushmaster was grateful for the unity and the steady employment. After all, he considered himself to be a freak, and the Society was his best chance in life. In fact, he made a friend in Diamondback, fellow Society member that saved him after Modok severed his artificial appendages. After the Viper took over the Society, Bushmaster remained loyal to Sidewinder. However, Sidewinder, disillusioned by the betrayals of some of the Serpents, turned over control of the guild to the Cobra, and Bushmaster served him next. At Diamondback's trial, he voted to spare her life from a death sentence. After the trial, Bushmaster fought Diamondback, and next, Captain America. He was finally taken into custody. It is assumed, after all this time, Bushmaster is still with the Serpent Society.

Coachwhip', a woman who wielded whips. She became the King Cobra's lover.

Cobra (Klaus Voorhees), a longtime Thor foe and partner of Mister Hyde. He possesses a great degree of flexibility, can contort his body into almost any shape, and is a skilled wrestler. When the Sidewinder retired, the Cobra became King Cobra and led the group.

Copperhead was the leader of the Fourth Serpent Squad, and one of the Viper's most loyal minions. On a mission for her, he helped to contaminate Washington D.C.'s water supply with a chemical that could transform people into human/snake hybrids. During this assignment, friction existed between the Cobra and himself. When the Cobra became the new leader of the Society, Copperhead didn't remain too long. In fact, he was only seen as a member in the X-Men Annual.

Death Adder was a bizarre, mute killer. He could extend his talons that contained a deadly venom, and a spiked (also poisonous) bionic tail. He was friends with Sidewinder and Anaconda. As a member of the third Serpent Squad, he fought the Thing, Stingray and Iron Man. As a member of the Serpent Society, he battled Captain America. In fact, on the Society's first paying assignment, Death Adder (along with Cottonmouth) viciously murdered Modok. His comeuppance was met when he was slain by the Scourge of the Underworld.

Diamondback', an acrobat who used diamond-shaped throwing blades. She defected from the team and eventually became the partner and lover of Captain America. A Diamondback-lookalike android was recently seen as an ally of the Red Skull.

Princess Python, a professional criminal snake charmer, is a member of the Circus of Crime. Sidewinder invited her to become a member of the Serpent Society, and she accepted. However, it was not meant to be. When the Society was hired to kill Modok, the Princess lost her nerve and abandoned her peers during the assignment to track him down. She didn't even bring along her pet python in fear of Modok's mental powers. Eventually, the Society caught up with her, and Sidewinder, most disappointed in her performance, despite her explanations, had her mindwiped and expelled from the ranks. He even tried to ransom her off to the Circus of Crime, but Scourge stepped in, slaying Death Adder (the one handling the transaction) and the Princess re-joined her old cohorts. Luckily, obviously, Scourge never found her.

Puff Adder, a man who could breathe various debilitative gases and inflate his body.. He was a member of Doctor Octopus's Masters of Evil.

Rattler is a German criminal with a bionic tail that could generate vibrations. A ruthless villain, he tried to kill Captain America alongside his fellow Serpents. He even betrayed Sidewinder to support the Viper's power bid to seize control over the Society.

Rock Python is a metallurgist that served the terrorist known as the Viper. He assisted her in taking over the Society. After her defeat, Rock Python (along with Puff Adder and Coachwhip) tried to steal the Falcon's costume, seemingly on behalf of the Society, but they failed. Whatever the circumstances, Rock Python is now a member of the Serpent Society.

'*Sidewinder' (Seth Voelker), who possessed a cloak that allowed him to teleport himself and a companion. He was the group's leader until Diamondback defected and the Viper's Serpent Squad infiltrated the Society, after which he retired and left leadership to the Cobra. Sidewinder was apparently killed once, but has since reappeared. Sidewinder, now reformed, has shown up in the pages of the New Thunderbolts. Issue # seven, respectfully.

Several other serpent-themed supervillain rejected membership, including the Viper, Princess Python of the Circus of Crime, and the Constrictor. Sidewinder himself rejected getting the Society involved in the "Acts of Vengeance" organized by Loki.